Wandering the Pines of Mississippi

Join my family's adventure through MS’s 82 counties, to discover the best hidden gems, history, & food Hi! My name is Rodney Mooney. We do not rush through.

Joining me are my wife, Amber, and our 3 children, Caroline, Race, and Aria. Please follow along with us as we adventure through the magnolia state. For the last couple of years, my family of 5 has been traveling to all 82 counties of Mississippi. As you can see from the posted videos/photos, we research the history and “best things to do” in each county, from the important to the obscure to the b

eautiful to the best eats to the just plain ol’ fun. We then travel to each county to find the history, take pictures, and experience the best each county has to offer, while making friends along the way. We stay, interview the locals, etc., till we have a good feeling for each area. Our travels were only meant to be a personal exploration and adventures to be shared as a family; however, during the process, I found a greater purpose and that it is necessary to share our story with others. As a teacher, I’ve heard many of my 19-20 year old students say they have "never traveled outside" of their hometown. I’ve met many adults whom just “stay in” to avoid the outside world and to “save money.” My children would stay on their electronic devices because, otherwise, “there’s nothing to do”, if I did not show them what’s available nearby, often for free, in the outside/real world. After personally sharing some of our adventures, people genuinely light-up and get inspired to travel around MS, shocked about some of these spots of interest that they do not even realize are in their own backyards. Also, many of the amazing stories told by the locals about our history is not written down anywhere; there is no digital footprint, and I fear they will be lost forever without writing about them. Therefore, I have been advised to share our adventures so that others, both in MS and out, can benefit from our experiences. I’ve always had a passion for MS. I remember when the hit TV series ER aired an episode that took place in MS called “In the Middle of Nowhere” which displayed all of the negative stereotypes and none of the Magnolia state’s beauty. It hurt me, even as a child. This experience among others, caused me to become an advocate for MS. Reading social media posts from fellow Mississippian’s, ¾ of our own residents often do not realize what there is to do in MS nor the beauty and talent that reside here, affected by the negative stereotypes. I want to change that narrative. After visiting each county, I’ve discovered places that one would only find through intense research. Some of these entrepreneurs and tourist attractions have begged me to get the word out as there is very little footprint for some of them, especially the obscure ones or those not near a larger city. It’s already been so fulfilling as I have been able to create a community among many of our entrepreneurs around the state, providing a way for them to discover and get in touch with one another, but I want to help more. What began as a personal family adventure has become something much more. I want to change the negative stereotypes, to reveal the beauty to those outside and inside our state (there’s no reason to ever be bored!), and to help those businesses and locations out there get more credit and exposure. In the future, I will pursue this passion of mine to publish a book, develop a website and app, and pursue speaking engagements to personally promote our great state of MS!

03/17/2026

Come join us!

02/14/2026

Friday the 13th and Valentine’s Day back to back? Sounds like a Werewolf kind of romance to us.

You can read about the Chatawa Swamp Monster in MISSISSIPPI MACABRE #2, now available at jacksoncomics.com or at the link in the comments.

“Mississippi Macabre” is an anthology horror series dedicated to showcasing Mississippi artists, writers and stories. This short story was written by Rodney Mooney and illustrated by Brian LeBlanc

02/09/2026

Check it out!

Photos from Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area's post

02/08/2026

12/14/2025

would have certainly liked this. He was known for helping others, especially weary travelers.

📌 Update for Day 50 (12/14/2025): Heading to Meridian, MS

Tomorrow marks Day 50 of our journey! We continue through Mississippi, heading from Newton through Hickory and Chunky to Meridian via US-80 Highway. We are grateful for the continued support and warm welcome we receive along the way.

Itinerary for Day 50:
• Lunch Stop: Coordinates: 32°19’40.1”N 88°51’56.5”W (Visiting Hours: 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM)
• Overnight Rest: Jimmie Rodgers Museum, 1200 22nd Ave, Meridian, MS 39301 (Visiting Hours: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM)

We warmly welcome everyone to visit us during the visiting hours at both stops!

📍 Check the Live Map in the pinned/featured post on top of our page to track the journey live and our stop locations.

May you and all beings be happy and at peace. 🙏

Mississippi Centered Comedy Show from Mary Ryan Brown & Ben Compton at Mercury Pizza in Hattiesburg

12/08/2025

https://youtu.be/FHRJsKYreuc?si=5BThGjlkH1Vb0yAf
Mary Ryan BrownBen ComptonMercury Pizza Midtown #

Mississippi Centered Comedy Show from Mary Ryan Brown & Ben Compton at Mercury Pizza in Hattiesburg Mary Ryan Brown and Ben Compton are amazing, hilarious local comedians who often use their upbringing and local MS stories to create improvisational comedy t...

Photos from Wandering the Pines of Mississippi's post

11/28/2025

Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll! With Rodney Mooney and Amber Mooney

11/24/2025

Check it out! We’ve got a great issue coming, right in time to for stocking stuffers! And who doesn’t like BIGFOOT! Natchez Bigfoot Visit Natchez Finding Bigfoot

Interview with Eric Zala: Director of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation

11/12/2025

Need inspiration? Do you like local kid fulfills dreams, feel-good stories? Look no further, for this interview is for you. Join us for an inspiring conversation with filmmaker Eric Zala, the QA guy for the hit video game Borderlands 2, director and creator of An Early Twilight, and director and co-creator of the legendary fan film Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation.

As a teenager in the 1980s, Eric and his friends spent seven years recreating Spielberg’s classic adventure shot-for-shot,... a project that became known as the "best fan-made film in history" and an even more remarkable story about how a group of friends worked on creating it for nearly all of their childhood, only to return to finish it years later as adults. In this interview, Eric shares behind-the-scenes stories of his remarkable journey meeting the likes of Eli Roth and Steven Spielberg, growing up an artist in Mississippi, as well providing lessons in passion, perseverance, and filmmaking magic.

This is our very first interview of the amazing local creatives wandering the pines of Mississippi. Part of the “Wander Yonder with the Mooneys” series – celebrating creativity, storytelling, and the people of MS who enrich our great state and beyond.

Thank you again, Eric, for sharing your wonderful, inspirational story with our family.

‪‬ Eric Zala Zala Detours The Friends of Mary C City of Ocean Springs (Official) Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce-Main Street-Tourism Bureau Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Visit Biloxi MS

Interview with Eric Zala: Director of Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation Need inspiration? Do you like local kid fulfills dreams, feel-good stories? Look no further, for this interview is for you. Join us for an inspiring conver...